FRV Alba Na Mara 2216A
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Alba Na Mara (74NM) |
| Cruise identifier | 2216A |
| Cruise period | 2016-12-02 — 2016-12-06 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Leith, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Leith, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To undertake flatfish sampling in St Andrews Bay, inner Firth of Forth, outer Firth of Forth and the Forth estuary in support of the Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme (OSPAR and MSFD). 2. To undertake sediment sampling in the Outer Firth of Forth and the Forth estuary in support of the Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme (OSPAR and MSFD). 3. To undertake sample preparation for subsequent ecotoxicological analyses. 4. To undertake survey of sea-surface litter in surface waters of the Scottish east coast. 5. Adventitious sampling of fish and shellfish for microplastics. 6. At two sites to collect samples of fish and epibenthic fauna in support of PhD project on trophic transfer of contaminants. Procedure Fishing and scientific gear will be loaded in Leith at the end of the previous survey, prior to Alba na Mara sailing on 02 December. Flounder will be sampled in St Andrews Bay and in the Forth estuary (Tancred bank), dab will be sampled in the inner and outer Firth of Forth; five sediment stations will be sampled in both the outer Firth of Forth and the Forth estuary. The neuston manta trawl will be deployed in the Forth estuary, the Firth of Forth, and off the east coasts of Fife and East Lothian. This net is to be towed at 5 knots, or less, for 30-90 minutes in order to collect and sample microplastics floating on the sea surface. An additional sediment sample to be collected by Day grab from the course of each catamaran tow for subsequent microplastics determinations. Epibenthos and samples of a variety of fish species will be adventitiously sampled from the trawls in the Forth estuary and the Firth of Forth and frozen for work-up in the laboratory as part of a PhD investigating trophic transfer of contaminants. |
| Chief scientist | Craig D Robinson (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.03 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
| Specific | St Andrews Bay, Firth of Forth |
